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The Orphanage
Directed by: Juan Antonio Bayona
Starring:
Belén Rueda
Genre:
Horror/Foreign
Run Time: 105
min.
Release Date:
January 2008
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
THE ORPHANAGE is a
tough film to review, as it had some really good points but some really
low ones, too.
The highest point comes from Guillermo del Toro’s association with it.
For those unaware, del Toro was the genius behind such films as
HELLBOY, the new HELLBOY II and the exquisite
PAN’S LABYRINTH.
Visually wondrous and stark, del Toro has a discerning eye for what does
and does not work, and one can easily see his input (as a producer this
time) within The Orphange. Although he had a hands-off approach
for this film, you can see it is distinctly del Toro in nature, with
heavy shadows, complex film shots, and a movie that lets the images
speak rather than a visceral score (which was minimal).
Spanish stage-star-turned-film-actress Belén Rueda pulls in a fantastic
performance as a returning woman to the orphanage she once inhabited as
a child, but this time as owner of the failing building. Her pouty eyes,
ruffled hair, and slumped shoulders gave her just the right mixture of
attractiveness and cookyness that such a role demanded. When Laura’s (Belén
Rueda) adopted son Simón (Roger Príncep) goes missing from a party at
the house/orphanage, Laura obviously does everything to try and locate
him. Her husband Carlos (Fernando Cayo) also tries for many months but
soon loses faith in ever finding the boy alive. He’s probably right,
too, since the boy was sick and needed daily medications. But Laura
refuses to give up. She “feels” something in the house, just as Simón
had before he disappeared. Simón kept referring to invisible friends who
wanted him to stay and play with them. Laura and Carlos, of course, just
assumed the boy to have an active imagination.
But Laura begins awakening to memories of her time at the orphanage, and
with this comes a flood of troubled remembrances. When a group of
paranormal researchers are called in to see if they can find out what
happened to Simón, Laura’s suspicions are aroused further, but cause a
rift to grow between she and her husband. Carlos soon leaves but Laura
stays, and she starts “playing the game” that these memories tell her to
(including a game of hide and seek that results in some of the film’s
scarier moments, “1 ...2 ...3...Knock on the wall.”)
Although the performances and filming were done with great care, the
script itself was not. Deus ex machina rules the ending (just think of
the movie THE OTHERS and you’ll be real close). That this film
has horror elements is undeniable, but genre-wise it doesn’t quite fit.
Although I don’t think shoe-horning a film into a specific genre is a
good thing, it does give the viewer a sense of what to expect and how
the story will unfold. Not so here. The ending makes it a bit too sweet.
Okay, so that might not be fair if you compare Pan’s Labyrinth’s
ending and this one (true, they are similar). But Pan’s Labyrinth
had a much more cohesive story that came at you from a child’s
perspective. With The Orphanage, it is through Laura’s eyes that
we see this world, and she’s a grown up with grown up ideals. Plus the
brutality of Pan’s Labyrinth was horrifically pulled off by the
evil protagonist, while in The Orphange it really had none other
than its own circumstances.
But if you’re in the mood for something visually appealing, this one
will stimulate that portion of your brain. Just don’t expect a smashing
success ...or a horror film.
(back to top) |
Image from The Orphanage
DVD cost: $19.20
Purchase:
Tower.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
Laura's necklace, a St.
Anthony medallion, makes a clever reference to her plight. In Christian
religion, St. Anthony is a doctor and patron saint of lost items.
Movie Quote: "Laura.
We cannot stay here."
Other Actors/Actresses
from The Orphanage
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